Slide fastener



March 27, 1934. H- 1 RE|TER 1,952,283

SLIDE FASTENER Filled April 24, 1953 I Eflzlz if 20 Y l Tp 39 20 QQ/43 ii INVENTOR Harold .I Reier ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 27, 1934 SLIDE FASTENEB.

Harold J. Reiter, Chcago,`1lll.

Application April 24, 1933, Serial No. 667,639

15 Claims.

This invention relates to separable stud vand socket fasteners 'and particularly, to .the socket portion thereof. V

My invention .contemplates the provision of a lslidable spring-pressed socket slide adapted to engage a cooperating studand to lock .the stud against are relatively stationary lug, whereby disengagement of the stud from the .socket is nori N mally. prevented Auntil the spring-pressed slide 'lo is first intentionally moved. My invention further cente-mpiates.the provision of a socket adapted to lock a stud Vin place in such a manner that the stud may be quickly and easily released on the deliberate manual manipulation of the nger piece provided for that purpose.

` My invention further contemplates the provision of va.Y simple,` ecient` but inexpensive 'socket adapted for use with a variety of studs of diiierent types and in connection with avariety of articles such as straps, belts, brief-cases, shoes and other leathergoods as well .as in connection with automobile curtains, or a great number of other articles wherein a 'releasable locking socket is 'desirable. f

The' various objects of my invention will be clear from the description which follows, and from the drawing, in which,

Fig. `1 is a top plan view of my improved fastener as it appears applied to a belt or strap slide.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.` 1.

. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the same, the cooperating stud being shown partly in section.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a modified form of the same, the stud, however, being omitted and the movable parts being shown in their limiting positions.

. Fig..6 is a top plan viewof a modified form of my invention as it appears applied, for example, to the curtain of an automobile.

f Fig. 7 is a' horizontal section, taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 8.

'Figs is a vertical section of the same, taken on the line 8-8. of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a iront elevation of the same before theapplication thereof to the curtain, and showing jthe parts in position of assembly to the cur- 5,0 B/lll. u

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a modified form ofthe slide member, usuable in connection with Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive. Y

Fig. 11 is a similar view of another modified 55 form of the slide member.

(Cl. 24-77) Y Fig. 12 is a topy plan view of one form of the plate 'usable in connection with the socket shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive.

Fig. 13 is avertical section of the stud and securing eyelet therefor in their unsecured positions, and adapted for use in that form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4. inclusive.`

Fig. 14 is a similar view of the same, the eyelet, however, being assembled with and forced into the cooperating stud therefor.

Fig. 15 is a similar view of another form of the stud, wherein the separate securing eyelet has been omitted and an eyelet Aportion formed integral with the stud.

In that practical embodiment of my invention illustrated by way of example and referring particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, I have shown my invention applied to a strap or belt 20.V The strap carrying the socket is intended to be detachably fastened to another article as 2l carrying the stud 22, adjustment of the effective length of the strapbeing obtained by moving the socket along the strap to the desired point. It will be understood that the strap may form part of a variety of articles in which such straps are used, such as brief cases, shoes or other articles of clothing or leather goods.

As shown in Figs. 13 and 14, the stud, designated generally by the numeral 22, may be provided with a rounded head including the centrally depressed anvil portion 24, a neck 26, and a bottom flange 27. The bottom flange rests on one face of the usually flexible article 21 to which the stud is to be secured. For securing the stud in place, the hollow eyelet 28 is forced through the material, as through the aperture 29 thereof, whereupon the upper end 30 engages the anvil Yportion 24 and is spread or flared, and until the eyelet flange is forced into engagement with the under face of the article 21. As will be later seen, the head 25 is preferably made of comparatively little height, less thanthat'of the neck 26, to reduce to a minimum the resulting height of the socket.`

As shown in Fig. 15, howeventhe stud 32 may terminate in an eyelet portion 33 of slightly less diameter than that of the neck, in which caseY the anvil portion may be omitted. The eyelet may be forced through the article 2l and flanged over on the under side thereof in a manner which will be obvious to those skilled in the art and hence need .not be described in detail. It need merely be said that the shoulder 34 serves to er1-'- gage one face 'of the article While the iiared portion of the Veyelet 33 engages the oppositeface,

and that a suitable washer may be interposed, if desired, between the eyelet portion and the article in an obvious manner.

Referring again to Figs. l to 5 inclusive, wherein I have shown my invention applied to a slide member, the slide member 35 is preferably made of sheet material such as sheet metal, and is preferably provided on its top with the spaced trans verse slots 36 and 37, through which the strap or belt 20 may be passed. Depending from the edges of said slide member and preferably integral with the slotted top are the spaced sides 36 and 39. Each of said sides is provided with a suitable slot as 40 which are aligned with each other, and through a projecting part of the socket slide 41 extends to a point beyond the remainder of the socket so as to be easily accessible to the user.

Each of the projections 42 and 43 of the socket slide pass, respectively, through one of the slots 40, and each is provided preferably with an enlarged terminal or finger piece. as 44, preferably bent upwardly parallel to the adjacent side of the slide member, whereby the socket slide may be moved longitudinally relatively to the slots 4G in the slide member 35. It will be seen that the npper and lower walls of said slots serve to guide the socket slide in its movement and to limit movement in both directions.

llormally,l however, the socket slide is urged toward the left, as viewed in Figs. l to 5, by means of a suitablD spring. In Figs. 3A and 4, l have shown the spring 45 as preferably made of a plurality of turns of spring wire, though it v il be understood that as many turns as may be found convenient may be used, if desired, shown by the spring 46 in Fig. 5, or that any other suitable type of spring may be used. The end portion 47 of the spring `45 is preferably made straight, and is retained in the loop 48 formed at the end of the socket slide. The other end 49 ofthe spring 45 is similarly made straight, and is inserted into the loop 50, bent downwardly and inwardly from the material of the slide member, being preferably formed from the material removed to form the slot 36. The springs 45 and 46 each tend to expand longitudinally and thereby urge the socket slide 4l toward the left, as has been hereinbefore indicated.

It will be understood that in place of the single loop 48 at one end of the socket slide, a plurality of loops as 51 and 52 (Fig. 5) may be substituted, if desired, and that the same change may be made in the loop 49 of the slide member 35.' The socket slide is furtherprovided with a substantially semi-circular edge or wall 53, which is adapted to engage underneath'the head 25 of the stud and to contact with the neck 26 thereof and thereby to aid in preventing detachment of the stud, as shown in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, the wall 53 forming part of the edge of an opening or aperture 54 in the socket slide.

rihe material to the left of the edge 53 and transversely beyond the ends thereof, is removed from the socket slide to form the opening 54 and to provide a space into which the head 25 of the stud may' enter freely when the socket slide has been moved toward the right.V It will be understood, however, that the need notl be completely removed, as for example, is indicated. in Fig. 1l. In order, however, to lock the stud in place after it has been passed through the opening 54, a suitable lug is provided to engage the stud and to cooperate with the wall 53.

As shown best in Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive, said lug takes 'the form of 'a projection '55, Vextending downwardly from the slide member 35 and preferably forined from the material removed to form the slot 37. It will be seen that in order to lock the stud in place, the linger piece or pieces 44 may be moved toward the right against the action of the spring 45 (or 46) a sufficient distance to allow the head 25 of the stud to enter freely the opening 54 between the lug 55 and the wall 53, after which ihe finger piece is released. 'Ihe spring thereupon moves the socket slide 4l toward the left, causing the wall 53 to engage underneath the head of the stud and to force the stud into firm contact with the lug 55. The stud is thereby locked place against axial detachment from the socket. However, if desired, the stud may be detached by a twisting movement in one direction, whereupon the curved head, by its engagement with the wall 53, acts as a cam to force the socket slide toward the right against the action of the spring connected thereto a sufficient distance to permit the stud to pass. Or the stud may be twisted in the opposite direction to remove it rst from the lug 55 and thereby 4to permit removal of the stud from the socket, the socket slide beingk yieldable. Cr, the finger pieces 44 may be manipulated by the user by movement thereof toward the right to further open the effective space between the socket slide and the lug and thereby to release the stud for quick removal.

Should it be found advisable, however, to lock the stud against detachment from the socket, and against both an axial pull and against a twisting movement, the lug 55 may be made sufficiently long to engage the neck 26 of the stud underneath the head 25 whereby the stud can be detached only if the socket slide 4l is first moved toward the right by means of the linger pieces 44. Suitable prongs as 56 preferably bent upwardly from at least one edge of a transverse slot as 37 in the slide member 35 serve to engage the belt or strap passed through the slots 37 and 36 and to secure the slide member in the position in which it is'adjusted on ythe belt.

In that form of my invention shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, my invention has been applied to the curtain 60 of an automobile, whereby the curtain may be detachably secured to the body portion 6l of the automobile. A suitable stud as 62, shown in the form of a screw stud. may be used to cooperate with the socket, or any other well known form of stud heretofore used for this purpose maybe substituted. In any case, the head 63 of the stud is made comparatively shallow or short, as is the neck 64, the head being preferably shorter than the neck, whereby the height of the socket is reduced to a ln this form of my invention, the casing 65 is provided with a preferably nat top 66, from which depends the wall 76, a series of lugs 67 and prongs 68 projecting from the lower edge of said Wall. A suitable slot as 69 is made in the top 66, through which slot projects theV finger piece 70. Said finger piece is preferably made integral with the socket slide 71, being :formed of material'removed from the socket slide, adjacent the opening 87 (Fig. il), or formed from material removed from etween the spaced loops and 75A. The end of the i'ingerpiece is preferably rolled or bent over to provide cylinder adapted for smooth engagement by the finger of the user in order that the socket slide may be easily manipulated. The spring '73, similar to the springs 45 and 46, serves to urge the socket slide toward the left in the manner hereinbefore described in connection with Figs. l to 5.

,To-:hold the.. spring, partotfthevv materialbetween the lugs 67 is bent into the forrnofthe doop. `74;; andg encloses. one end. portion; of the spring, while Vthe .right end of .thesocket slide zis;.-similarly-bent over to form theloop .75. and "tmhold-:the other end of the spring. `The casing 'f65zis' preferablyvmadeof a singlepiece orf-matesrial; suitably rout. away at, its, bottom edge .to -form thevarious lugs andprongs.` In order to insure. proper movement of and4 to guide the 4socket slidein its .movement longitudinally 'of the.. casing 65, sidewalls as 77: and 78.;are bent 'upwardly 'from the respectivesideV edges 79 and 8.0i .of the socket slide landare. adapted `to yengage thatfpart offthe .respective inner surfaces of the -depending .wall 76 which is made parallel to the -opposed edgesof a slot 6.9.

.Toprovide a support for theunder vsurface of thesocket slide and prevent its contact. with the curtain 60, a suitable plate .as 81 isk provided. vSaid .plate is provided not only with an opening 59;for the .passage of the stud, but isperforated Vwith the.`lugreceiving slots 82 aswell as with the prong-receiving slots 83, the plate being vmade slightlyiarger than, and projecting beyond the wall 76 ofthe casing forthat purpose. After .the plate 81 has been assembled with the casing, by the. passage through the perorations 8,2Y of the lugs 67, and the passage through the pei'-,

forations 83A of the prongs 63, the lugs 67 vare bent preferably inwardly on tothe under vface of the plate to secure. the parts in their 4'proper positions. The` thus assembled socket may be secured to the curtain 60 by then passing -theprongs 68 through the curtain and through suitable prongfreceiving perforations in the lower plate 84, which is arranged on the under lsurface ofthe curtain, and is similar to the plate 81 being provided with a. similar stud- ;receiving opening. TheA prongs 68,. being bent Yover -on to the, plate,y 84, the parts are thereby vtightly drawn togetherv and securedto the cur- "tain,-ready. for. vthe reception of they stud.

It. will; be noted Athat the socket slide 7,1 may be provided with an opening72, extending to theleft edge thereof and having an arcuate wall 85 adapted to engage the neck of the cooperatngstud. .The stud is locked between the edge 8.5; and a suitable lug as 86.` As illustrated, the lug.8.6 isbent upwardly from the plate 81, though -it will be understood. that said lug may beA otherwise formed as. by being bent either from the wall 760i the casing or from the top 66 thereof withoutanyV materialv change in its function or operation. In any case, the lug 86, serves to cooperate with the .arcuate edge 85 of the. socket slide. 71 to look the socket to the studA in the manner hereinbefore described in connection with Figs. 1 toy 5.

In Fig. 11, I have illustrated the opening. 87 of 'the socket slide 88, closed at its left end as by means of the band 89. vIt willV be understood that in this construction, the opening 87 is nevertheless of suflicient width to permit the head 63 .of the stud to pass therethrough when the socket slide is moved toward the right as by means of the linger piece loop 70, and thereby to clear Ithe V-lug 86. f

" It willl be understood that the lower plate '84 is provided with an opening similar to the openings 59 and 87 for vthe passage of the stud head when the parts are to be locked together. It willvfurfther be seen that the stud may be locked to the socket by a twisting movement designed to cause the head of the stud to press against the arcuatewall or vedgef85.v and .thereby to move said socket slide toward the right in the slot 69l and to. bring the opening -72 (or 87) above the stud.

After.. the stud has been passed into the casing the proper. distance and. passes the edges 85, the

Vspring 73 ybecomeseiective to move. the socket slide toward the 'leitand thereby. to cause 'said edge`85'to engage. the neck or the stud Yand to -grip the stud between it and between the lug 86. Unlocking of the stud is accomplishedV by moving.l the nger piece toward the right-in the manner hereinbefore indicated.

It will be seen that I have provided a simple but effective spring fastener socket designedto `lock ene article to another, which device is adapted to yield to a certain extent Vunder tension put thereon so as to prevent undue stress, o r binding or. constriction of the various parts. It will further be seen that the parts .remain locked until deliberately opened or disengaged bythe manual vto be understoodras limiting myself thereto but desire to claim my inventionas broadly as lm'ay lbe permitted by the state'oi the prior art and the scope of the'appended claims,

I claim: f

l. A Yfastener socket Ycomprising a socket slide having'an opening therein, a cylindrical loop on said slide, supporting and guiding means for said slide including a top member and depending side members, at least one of said members having a slot therein, a second loop on said means,v a spring having one end straight and inserted in said second loop and its other end inserted in the loop of the slide, said spring urging said slide toward its `locking position within said means, said slide being provided with a stud-engaging wall at the periphery of said opening, a linger piece on the slide 'projecting through said slot, and a lug on the supporting means arranged to engage a stud passed through the opening, and cooperating with said wall to lock the stud to thefsocket.

-2. In a fastener socket, a movable spring- 'pressed socket slide having an opening therein vfor the passage of a stud provided with a head and aneck,'a wall of said opening being adapted to engage the neck of said stud, an outer' member for slidably supporting and guiding said 'slide in Aits movement, a cylindrical loop on the slide, a

similar loopy on the member, a wire spring having a plurality or turns and straight ends, each of vsaid ends being inserted into one lof the' loops,

and a lug on said supporting means in variable i spaced relation to said wallY and adapted to engage the stud, said slide and said lug cooperating to lock the stud therebetween. -Y 3. AIn a fastener a movable sheet metal slide having an opening therein and a stud-engaging wall limiting the opening, a sinuous spring, a supporting member 'for' the slide provided with an integral loop enclosing one end of the spring, means on the vslide for enclosing the other end of the spring, a lug on the supporting member in spaced relation to said. wall, and means including a iinger piece projecting from the slide and beyond the supporting'inember forV manually moving the slide away. from the lug to. permit the entrance of the stud head therebetween.

' 4. In a fastener,.a socket comprising a pair of relatively movable members, one of said members being stationary, a guiding and supporting casing for said members open for the entrance 0f a stud, said casing carrying the stationary member and beingprovided with a slot having end walls and side walls, a finger piece integral with and bent from the other1 of said members and extending through the slot, a spring between the casing and said other member, means integral with and bent from the casing for holding and enclosing one end ci the spring, and similar means on said other member for holding and enclosing the other end of the spring.

5. In a fastener socket, a member adapted to slide on a belt or strap and having apair of spaced transverse slots therein to receive the belt and slotted depending sides, an apertured socket slide within the member, a finger-piece on the socket slide projecting through the slot in the side, a lug depending from the member, and a spring secured at one end to the socket slide and at the other end to the member and urging the socket slide toward the lug.

6. In a fastener socket, a belt-receiving member having a pair of spaced transverse beltreceiving slots therein and having depending slotted sides, an apertured spri' g-pressed socket slide adapted to engage substantially half the circumference of a stud, integral extensions onl the socket slide each passed through a slot of the sides, and a lug carried by the belt-receiving member in spaced relation to the socket slide and cooperating therewith to lock the stud therebetween.

'7. In a fastener slide, a movable stud-engaging member cut away at one end to provide an arcuate stud-engaging Wall, a spring, means at the other end of the member securing one end of the spring to the member, a belt-receiving member having a pair of spaced transverse belt-receiving slots therein for supporting the stud-engaging member and for cooperating therewith to lock a stud engaged by said wall, integral means on the belt-receiving member for holding the other end of said spring, and a relativelystationary lug integral with the belt-receiving member and arranged in opposed relation toY said wall.

8. In a fastener socket, a member adapted to slide on and to receive a belt, said member having a top provided with a pair of spaced transverse belt-receiving slots and having a pair of parallel sides depending from the top and integral therewith, each of said sides having an elongated slot therein, a socket slide cut away at one end to provide an arcuate wall adapted to engage a stud, a spring secured to the-slide and to said member, a lug integral with said member and bent therefrom in opposed relation to said wall, and integral extensions on the slide each passed through one of the slots in the sides and extending beyond the member whereby said member may be moved away from the lng against the action of the spring to permit said stud to be inserted between the lug and the wall.

9. In a fastener socket, a casing having a slot in the top thereof and having depending walls, a plate arranged in spaced relation to the top and having a stud-receiving opening therein, a movable socket slide supported by said plate' and movable relatively thereto, theedge portions of said slide being guided by the walls of said casing, a projection integral with and extending from the slide and passed through the slot of the casing and terminating in a finger piece beyond the casing, a lug on the plate arranged in the path .Lesazes -said lug.

10. In a fastener socket, a casing having a top and depending walls, the top having a slot therein, bendable prongs projecting from the lower edges of said walls, lugs projecting from said Walls between the prongs, a plate having a series of prong and lug-receiving apertures therein adiacent the periphery thereof and having a studreceiving aperture between the prong and lugreceiving apertures, a stud-engaging member arranged in the interior of the casing and above the plate, a projection on said member extending through the slot of the casing and terminating in a nger-piece, a spring connected to the casing and the stud-engaging member, and studeneaging means cooperating with the stud-engaging member for locking a stud therebetween, said spring urging the stud-engaging member toward said stud-engaging means. c

11. In a fastener, a belt-receiving member havl ing a pair of spaced transverse bek-receiving slots therein, a second member provided with a snap fastener elemenameans for slidably supporting the second member on the first-mentioned member, an elongated cylindrical loop on each of said members, and a spring interposed betweenV said members, each end of the spring being inserted into and enclosed by one of said loops.

12. In a fastener, a casing member, an aperfastener member slidably supported by the casing member, a pair of spaced cylindrical loops on the fastener member, a loop on and integral with the casing member, and a Wire spring having one end inserted into the loop of the casing member and having the other end inserted into said pair of loops.

13. The combination with a belt-receiving slide member provided with a pair of spaced transverse belt-receiving slots therein, said member having slotted depending sides, of a socket slide arranged between said sides, side projections on said socket slide passing through the slots of said sides and each terminating in a finger piece, a lug'integral with and depending from the top of said slide member and a spring urging said socket slide toward said lug. Y

i4. In, a fastener, an outer member, a second member provided with a snap fastener element, means for slidably supporting the second member on and within the outer member, an elongated cylindrical loop on each of said members, and a spring having straight ends, said spring being' interposed between said members, each straight end of the spring being inserted into and enclosed byV one of said loops.

l5. In a fastener socket of the character described, relatively movable means for engaging and locking a stud therein, comprising a springpressed slide member havingra stud-engaging wall serving as part of the peripheryl of an opening therein, said wall subtending an angle not over lSilf, an outersupporting member for said slide, an lupright curved lug on one of the members adjacent said opening and cooperating with the wall, and yieldable means for moving said slide relatively to the lug comprising a sinucus spring having a pair of straight ends, means carried by the slide for receiving and enclosing one of said ends and means on a relatively stationary part of the supporting member for receiving and enclosing the other end of the spring.

HAROLD J. REITER. 

